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Scientists uncover the secret triggers of ‘impossible’ earthquakes

Once considered geologically impossible, earthquakes in stable regions like Utah and Groningen can actually occur due to long-inactive faults that slowly “heal” and strengthen over millions of years. When reactivated—often by human activities—these faults release all that built-up stress in one powerful event before stabilizing again. This discovery reshapes how scientists assess earthquake risks in areas once thought safe, offering new insights for geothermal and energy storage projects that rely on the Earth’s shallow subsurface.

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